Jury begins deliberating fate of Anthony Sowell

CLEVELAND -- The jury began its deliberations at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday for the penalty phase of Anthony Sowell's murder trial.

They ended their deliberations for the day just before 7 p.m. and will resume again Wednesday morning.

Jurors have been asked to recommend either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole on the aggravated murders of 11 women found dead in and around his Imperial Avenue home.

Last month, the jury found Sowell, 51, guilty on 82 of 83 counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, and attempted rape.

Once the jury returns with its recommendations, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose will then take the recommendations into account when he sentences Sowell.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Rick Bombik opened his closing statements with "...our journey into the unspeakable is almost over."